Fighting Fastener Corrosion New York NY

Deck building used to be simpler. At the lumberyard, you’d load up on CCA-treated 2-by stock for the floor system, 6x6s for the posts, and whatever the budget allowed for the decking — anything from 1x6 pressure treated to more-expensive 1x4 Doug fir.

American Institute of Architects, Builders and Remodelers Association of Northern New Jersey, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of the Remodeling Industry, New Jersey Builders Association

Better Business Bureau, National Association of the Remodeling Industry, National Kitchen and Bath Association

Mothers Landscaping Design(718)482-3523
1623 16th AvenueBrooklyn, NY

Lynn Torgerson Gardens Ltd(212)929-8012
1133 BroadwayNew York, NY

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What’ll you have with that wood preservative: Hot-dip galvanized, polymer coated, or stainless steel?

by Jefferson Kolle

Deck building used to be simpler. At the lumberyard, you’d load up on CCA-treated 2-by stock for the floor system, 6x6s for the posts, and whatever the budget allowed for the decking — anything from 1x6 pressure treated to more-expensive 1x4 Doug fir. Buying hardware and fasteners was straightforward too. Inside the lumberyard, you’d load up on nails, nuts, bolts, screws, and maybe joist hangers. And you’d be good to go.

Buying lumber and fasteners is no longer so straightforward. Since CCA was withdrawn from the residential market in 2004, new preservatives have taken its place. The corrosiveness of some of these chemicals has in turn spawned new types of corrosion-resistant hardware, which have left deck builders wondering which ones work best and if the best ones are worth the money.

A Little Chemistry According to Dr. Pascal Kamdem, professor of wood science and technology at Michigan State University, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) pressure-treated wood was phased out because European countries objected to the chromium, while concerns in the United States centered around the arsenic. “Chemical companies wanted a pressure-treating formula that would be acceptable worldwide, so they got rid of both objectionable chemicals.”

Some of the fasteners and connectors on the market are engineered for better performance in a variety of materials, including popular wood alternatives like PVC and composite trims, while other new introductions help solve common fastener and connector issues.